Purpose: Firefighting duties range from field roles such as suppression, rescue, and emergency medical services (EMS) to various administrative tasks. Despite these differences, they face uniform fitness standards in Korea. This study seeks to define distinct fitness needs for each duty and provide data for customized standards. Methods: One hundred seventy-six Korean male firefighters participated, categorized into suppression (n=76), rescue (n=22), administrative (n=27), and EMS (n=51) roles. All underwent maximal oxygen consumption (VO2 max) tests for aerobic capacity, with body composition measured using bioelectrical impedance and height recorded with a stadiometer. Results: The VO2 max (mL/kg/min) among Korean male firefighters varied across different job duties: suppression (39.96±5.84), rescue (44.84±4.85), administration (40.27±7.01), and EMS (40.51±6.75). Rescue had the highest VO2 max, which was significantly higher (p=0.013). The body mass index (BMI, kg/m2 ) values were as follows: suppression (25.07±2.55), rescue (24.95±1.71), EMS (24.33±3.21), and administration (25.10±2.48). There was no statistically significant difference in BMI values (p=0.464). Conclusion This study evaluated the VO2 max and BMI of South Korean male firefighters according to their job duties. It found that 54.5% did not meet the recommended VO2 max standard of 42 mL/kg/min for their activities, and 77.5% had a BMI indicating overweight or higher. However, it is important to note that not every firefighting duty requires high fitness levels. The key is ensuring firefighters possess the fitness necessary for their specific roles to maintain safety and efficiency. The study aims to provide data for creating fitness management guidelines tailored to the diverse duties of firefighters.

Purpose: The treatment of male breast cancer (MBC) has been extrapolated from female breast cancer (FBC) because of its rarity despite their different clinicopathologic characteristics. We aimed to investigate the distribution of intrinsic subtypes based on immunohistochemistry, their clinical impact, and treatment pattern in clinical practice through a multicenter study in Korea. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed clinical data of 248 MBC patients from 18 institutions across the country from January 1995 to July 2016. Results: The median age of MBC patients was 63 years (range, 25 to 102 years). Among 148 intrinsic subtype classified patients, 61 (41.2%), 44 (29.7%), 29 (19.5%), and 14 (9.5%) were luminal A, luminal B, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2, and triple-negative breast cancer, respectively. Luminal A subtype showed trends for superior survival compared to other subtypes. Most hormone receptor-positive patients (166 patients, 82.6%) received adjuvant endocrine treatment. Five-year completion of adjuvant endocrine treatment was associated with superior disease-free survival (DFS) in patients classified with an intrinsic subtype (hazard ratio [HR], 0.15; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.04 to 0.49; p=0.002) and in all patients (HR, 0.16; 95% CI, 0.05 to 0.54; p=0.003). Conclusion Distribution of subtypes of MBC was similar to FBC and luminal type A was most common. Overall survival tended to be improved for luminal A subtype, although there was no statistical significance. Completion of adjuvant endocrine treatment was associated with prolonged DFS in intrinsic subtype classified patients. MBC patients tended to receive less treatment. MBC patients should receive standard treatment according to guidelines as FBC patients.

Purpose: This study identified factors that affect lecture evaluation by analyzing sophomores from Dankook University, examining each cluster’s characteristics, and comparing differences among trajectories. Methods: This study identified factors that affect lecture evaluation by analyzing sophomores from Dankook University, examining each cluster’s characteristics, and comparing differences among trajectories. Results: The lecture evaluation score decreased as the teaching hours per instructor in a year increased by an hour, and the number of instructors per lecture increased by one individual. During trajectory analysis, the first trajectory had lower lecture evaluation scores overall but relatively high appropriateness of the textbook and punctuality of class, whereas the second trajectory had higher lecture evaluation scores overall for all four items. Conclusion The two trajectories showed differences in teaching methods (understanding of lecture content and usefulness of the lecture) rather than in external factors (appropriateness of the textbook and punctuality of class). Therefore, to improve lecture satisfaction, enhancing instructors’ instructional competencies through lectures and adjusting the teaching hours by assigning an adequate number of instructors per lecture are recommended.

Background: Early prediction of bacteremia is important because sepsis may develop if bacteremia is not treated in time. We aimed to determine whether blood tests are clinically useful in predicting gram-negative versus gram-positive bacteremia. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the medical records of 16,569 patients who underwent blood culture testing among those who visited St. Mary’s Hospital of Uijeongbu, Catholic University from January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2018. After excluding 15,580 patients with insufficient data for analysis, the total study population was 989. Results: In the multivariable logistic regression analysis for gram-negative bacteremia, after adjusting for major variables, procalcitonin (odds ratio [OR] 1.02, P < 0.001), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (OR 1.03, P = 0.010), and albumin (OR 0.55, P = 0.010) were significant. In the same model, lactic acid (OR 1.08, P = 0.010), blood urea nitrogen (BUN) (OR 1.02, P = 0.010), and albumin (OR 0.50, P = 0.005) were significant for gram-positive bacteremia.We constructed blood indicators by combining blood tests that were significant in multivariable logistic regression analysis. Comparing the area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic curve, the AUC of the procalcitonin/albumin ratio in gramnegative bacteremia was significantly higher than that of procalcitonin (0.846 vs. 0.837, P = 0.005), and the AUC of the BUN/albumin ratio in gram-positive bacteremia was significantly higher than that of BUN (0.709 vs. 0.679, P = 0.007). Conclusion The procalcitonin/albumin ratio is expected to be helpful in the early prediction of gram-negative bacteremia, whereas the BUN/albumin ratio in the early prediction of grampositive bacteremia.

BACKGROUND: Hereditary breast and ovarian cancer syndrome (HBOC) is caused by pathogenic variants in BRCA and other cancer-related genes. We analyzed variants in BRCA gene and other cancer-related genes in HBOC patients to evaluate the clinical validity of next-generation sequencing (NGS) multi-gene panel testing. METHODS: The BRCA1/2 NGS testing was conducted for 262 HBOC patients. Multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification and direct Sanger sequencing were performed for confirmation. Multi-gene panel testing was conducted for 120 patients who did not possess BRCA1/2 pathogenic variants but met the National Comprehensive Cancer Network criteria. RESULTS: Pathogenic variants in BRCA1/2 were detected in 30 HBOC patients (11.5%). Additionally, four out of the 120 patients possessed pathogenic variants by multi-gene panel testing (3.3%): MSH2 (c.256G>T, p.Glu86*), PMS2 (c.1687C>T, p.Arg563*), CHEK2 (c.546C>A, p.Tyr182*), and PALB2 (c.3351-1G>C). All the four patients had a family history of cancer. CONCLUSIONS Multi-gene panel testing could be a significant screening tool for HBOC patients, especially for those with a family history of cancer.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess the anxiety and depression in patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). METHODS: Eighty-seven adult patients with various hematologic diseases, who were scheduled to receive autologous or allogeneic HSCT, were enrolled. The M.D. Anderson Symptom Inventory and the Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale were applied prospectively at hospital admission (D-14), on the day of transplantation (D day), and at 7 (D7) and 14 days (D14) after transplantation. RESULTS: The severity of both anxiety and depressive symptoms increased over time, with a peak at D7, and then showed a downturn at D14. Physical distresses also started with mild intensity at base line, which were continuously aggravated until D7, and then a partial recovery afterwards. Approximately, 52% of the participants had significantly high anxiety or depression before the start of HSCT. The occurrence of aggravation of pain, nausea, shortness of breath, and lack of appetite was associated with the development of anxiety during isolation period. The patients with significant baseline anxiety had higher scores on fatigue and shortness of breath items at D7 compared to those without. CONCLUSION: Our finding suggests the importance of psychiatric approaches, including preventive measures, for the patients undergoing HSCT.
Adult ; Anxiety ; Appetite ; Depression ; Dyspnea ; Fatigue ; Hematologic Diseases ; Hematologic Neoplasms ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; Hematopoietic Stem Cells ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Nausea ; Prospective Studies

BACKGROUND: The relationship between dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S) and bone mineral density (BMD) is controversial. And findings of most studies that have investigated this relationship are restricted to postmenopausal women. In this study, we investigated the relationship between serum DHEA-S and BMD in both men and women. METHODS: This cross-sectional study evaluated a total of 294 healthy Korean participants through a medical examination program. And a subgroup of 154 participants was subjected to a longitudinal analysis. We measured BMD by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry and assayed DHEA-S by a chemiluminescent immunoassay. RESULTS: We evaluated the association between serum DHEA-S concentration and BMD at the femur trochanter after adjusting for cofounders such as age, body mass index, lifestyle factors, serum cortisol level, serum insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) level, and sex. Through our longitudinal study, we found that the changes in BMD at the total spine, at the femur neck, and at the femur trochanter were all smaller in the ΔDHEA-S <0 group than in the ΔDHEA-S >0 group. CONCLUSIONS: We found that there was a positive correlation between serum DHEA-S and femur BMD, which suggests that controlling serum DHEA-S levels may retard age-related BMD reduction in Koreans.
Absorptiometry, Photon ; Aging ; Body Mass Index ; Bone Density* ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate* ; Dehydroepiandrosterone* ; Female ; Femur ; Femur Neck ; Humans ; Hydrocortisone ; Immunoassay ; Life Style ; Longitudinal Studies ; Male ; Osteoporosis ; Spine

BACKGROUND: In treating minor-form or microform cleft lip, obtaining an optimal result is a challenge because of the visible scarring caused by traditional surgery. We present a refined method using muscle overlapping with a minimal skin incision in patients younger than 3 years, a group characterized by thin muscle. METHODS: The surgical technique involves restoration of the notched vermillion using Z-plasty, formation of the philtral column using overlapping of an orbicularis oris muscle flap through an intraoral incision, and correction of the cleft lip nasal deformity using a reverse-U incision and V-Y plasty. A single radiologist evaluated ultrasonographic images of the upper lip. RESULTS: Sixty patients were treated between September 2008 and June 2014. The age at the time of operation ranged from 6 to 36 months (mean, 26 months). The follow-up period ranged from 8 to 38 months (mean, 20 months) in minor-form cases and from 14 to 64 months (mean, 37 months) in microform cases. A notched cupid's bow was corrected in 10 minor-form cases and 50 microform cases. Ultrasonographic images were obtained from 3 patients with minor-form cleft lip and 9 patients with microform cleft lip 12 months after surgery. The average muscle thickness was 4.5 mm on the affected side and 4.1 mm on the unaffected side. CONCLUSIONS: The advantages of the proposed procedure include the creation of an anatomically natural philtrum with minimal scarring. This method also preserves the continuity and function of the muscle and provides sufficient augmentation of the philtral column and nostril sill.
Cicatrix ; Cleft Lip* ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lip ; Methods ; Microfilming* ; Skin* ; Surgical Flaps

Pseudohypoparathyroidism (PHP) is a rare disorder caused by genetic and epigenetic aberrations in the GNAS complex locus resulting in impaired expression of stimulatory G protein (Gsα). PHP type Ib (PHP-Ib) is characterized by hypocalcemia and hyperphosphatemia due to renal resistance to the parathyroid hormone, and is distinguished from PHP-Ia by the absence of osteodystrophic features. An 11-yr-old boy presented with poor oral intake and cramping lower limb pain after physical activity. Laboratory studies revealed hypocalcemia, hyperphosphatemia, and increased parathyroid hormone levels. The GNAS complex locus was evaluated using the methylation-specific multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MS-MLPA) assay. Gain of methylation in the NESP55 domain and loss of methylation in the antisense (AS) transcript, XL, and A/B domains in the maternal allele were observed. Consequently, we present a case of PHP-Ib diagnosed using MS-MLPA.
Alleles ; Epigenomics ; GTP-Binding Proteins ; Humans ; Hyperphosphatemia ; Hypocalcemia ; Lower Extremity ; Male ; Methylation* ; Motor Activity ; Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Muscle Cramp ; Parathyroid Hormone ; Pseudohypoparathyroidism*

BACKGROUND: An outbreak of eye diseases occurred among workers at a poultry abattoir in South Korea from December 2012 to June 2013. An epidemiological investigation of the causative agent was conducted. The workers were given a special health examination and workplace environmental monitoring was performed. Workers with ocular symptoms subsequently underwent an ophthalmic examination. CASE PRESENTAION: From a total of 41 workers, 26 (63.4 %) were diagnosed with keratoepitheliopathy by ophthalmic examination. Environmental monitoring of the workplace revealed that the ultraviolet (UV) apron-disinfection lamp had not been turning off at the set times, and so the workers’ faces had been exposed to UV radiation. Effective radiation dose measurement showed a UV-B exposure of 7-30 μW/cm2, and a UV-C exposure of 40-200 μW/cm2; both values exceed the occupational exposure limits. The outbreak ceased after the lamp was repaired. CONCLUSIONS: This case shows that inappropriate use of the UV disinfection lamp can cause mass photokeratitis. In order to prevent this, the UV disinfection lamp must be checked regularly, workers must be educated on the health effects of UV radiation, and appropriate eye protection must be worn.
Abattoirs* ; Disinfection* ; Environmental Monitoring ; Eye Diseases ; Keratitis* ; Korea ; Occupational Exposure ; Poultry*